/ dʒəʊk; NAmE dʒoʊk/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
something that you say or do to make people laugh, for example a funny story that you tell :
I can't tell jokes .
She's always cracking jokes .
They often make jokes at each other's expense.
I didn't get the joke (= understand it) .
I wish he wouldn't tell dirty jokes (= about sex) .
I only did it as a joke (= it was not meant seriously) .
—see also in-joke , practical joke
2.
[ sing. ] ( informal ) a person, thing or situation that is ridiculous or annoying and cannot be taken seriously :
This latest pay offer is a joke.
—see also jocular
•
IDIOMS
- be / get beyond a joke
- be no joke
- the joke's on sb
- make a joke of sth
- take a joke
■ verb joke (with sb) (about sth)
1.
to say sth to make people laugh; to tell a funny story :
[ v ]
She was laughing and joking with the children.
They often joked about all the things that could go wrong.
[ v speech ]
'I cooked it myself, so be careful!' he joked.
2.
to say sth that is not true because you think it is funny :
[ v ]
I didn't mean that—I was only joking .
[ v that ]
She joked that she only loved him for his money.
•
IDIOMS
- joking apart / aside
- you're joking | you must be joking
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 17th cent. (originally slang): perhaps from Latin jocus jest, wordplay.